Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



J. H. MERRILL.

Breeeh-Luadng Fire-Arm.

Patented Dec. 8, 1853.

Nirnri @raras JAMES H. MERRILL, OF BALTIMORE,

Farrar Orifice.

MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MERRILL PATENT FIRE ARM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFSAME PLACE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. MLQQLL dated December8, 1863.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .IAMEs H. MERRILL, of the city oi' Baltimore, countyof Baltimore, andState of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of thegun,with a portion of the stock and barrel broken away, and 'showing thebreech as open and ready to be charged. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinalvertical section through the gun as it appears when charged with ametallic cartridge and the breech closed. Fig. 3 represents a horizontalsection through the rear of the barrel, and showing an auxiliary hammerfor exploding a metallic cartridge or metallic-cased cartridge. Fig. 4represents a separate plug or plunger, which is used when papercartridges are used, a shorter one, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, being usedwith the metallic-cased cartridge.

Cartridge-cases of paper and of metal are both used in the service, theformer being exploded by the common percussion-cap and the latter kindby a blow upon a fulminate inclosed in its base, and owing to thedifferent methods of exploding these two kinds of cartridges eachrequired a specially-constructed gun for its special use.

The object and purpose of my invention is to construct a gun in whicheither the paper cartridge or the metallic cartridge may be used bysimply changing the plug, plunger, or follower which forces thecartridge to its seat and closes the breech of the gun, each of thesecartridges being exploded or iired in a different manner, 'but by theaction of an ordinary hammer in both Cases. i

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

The method of opening up the breech to insert the cartridge, the ramminghome of the cartridge, and the closing and fastening of the breech-plugare the same as those heretofore inventedV by and patented to me, andneed not be minutely described here.

Through the side of the gun next to and in the path of the motion of thehammer A, I cut an opening, B, through which an auxiliary hammer, c,passes, it being'hinged to a suitable projection at c, so as to movehori- Zontally, while the hammer proper moves in a vertical are in theusual way.

Vhen a common paper cartridge, or even a loose load of powder and ball,is used, they are fired by the hammer A, exploding a common cap upon thenipple b, and when a me- 1 tallic-cased cartridge is used the blow ofthe hammer A comes against the auxiliary hammer O and drives its point cagainst the base of the metal cartridge-case, (shown in red lines inFigs. 2 and 3,) and explodes the fulminate contained in its base, andthus ignites the charge of powder. The two hammers A C do not interferewith each others separate action upon their special or peculiar kind ofcartridge or loose load; nor would it require any change in theloading-drill, as the cap may be put onto thc nipple, and it maybeexploded Vevery time, whether immediately effective to ignite the chargeor not, as it is not injurious, and therefore need not be avoided. Onthe plug E, I place a springcatch, d, which, when the breech of the gunis closed and a metallic-cased cartridge used, slips over the flange ofthe metal case, and when the breech is again opened to recharge the gunthis catch or its hook draws out the empty case, which may be saved andreused again and again. The auxiliary hammer O falls back through itsslot B, and is not in this position in the way of inserting a cartridge,and it may be thrown back and held back by a slight spring, if foundnecessary.

The gun as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is prepared for firing metalliccartridges, the plug E being quite short, so as not to run the cartridgeany farther' forward than to bring its iiange against the rear of thebarrel, in which position it is red; but when a paper cartridge is to beused a longer plug, FJ, as shown in Fig. 4, is substituted for theshorter one, this long plug E not only driving the paper cartridgefarther forward into the bore, but closing up the bore behind thecartridge.

Vhen the gun is prepared for iiring paper cartridges, a loose charge maybe used in it without changing any of its parts.

Having thusfully described the nature and said ordinary hammer,substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES H. MERRILL.

